Auberge des Deux Rives

L'auberge de jeunesse se situait au sein du Jardin des Deux Rives, du côté français. Nous avons déposé nos sacs dans les chambres et avons profité du dîner. En attendant que la salle commune ouvre, vingt élèves assis sur le sol, se sont ainsi retrouvés à jouer à d'étranges jeux français dont le but est d'être réactif (Les deux plus Britanniques d'entre nous ont fini aux deux dernières places à Jungle Speed : une spécialité française sûrement...). Par contre, le billard est un sport plus international mais Racan a tout de même triomphé. Du coup, sodas pour tout le monde ! (Nous aurons sûrement d'autres occasions de disserter sur la bière allemande). Nous sommes retournés dans nos chambres vers onze heures, gardant en mémoire que nous devions nous lever à six heures le lendemain matin.

The youth hostel was in the heart of the Jardin des Deux Rives, on the french side of the river. We left our bags in our rooms then had dinner. While we were waiting for the common room to open, twenty pupils got together on the floor to play some rather strange French games where the aim is to be the quickest possible (two of our most British pupils finished last at Jungle Speed - this must be a very French game!) Billiards on the other hand is a more international game and Racan managed to win. Everybody was therefore entitled to a fizzy drink (we will have an other opportunity to talk about German Beer) ! We went back to our rooms at about 11pm as we knew that we had to be up at 6 the next morning.

L'heure du départ

Nous nous sommes donnés rendez vous au parking du Collège de Bercé, à proximité du Lycée Racan à 6h du matin. Chacun d'entre nous a du se lever tôt pour être prêt à partir pour 6h30. L'excitation des deux jours qui nous attendaient se mêlait à la fatigue. Ce fut parti pour 8 heures de trajet durant lequel nous avons regardé Mamma Mia. En effet, de nombreux fans de ce film musical siégeaient au fond du bus, nous gratifiant d'une interprétation de chaque titre d'Abba... Une fois arrivé à Strasbourg, la plupart d'entre nous admirèrent la ville, pressé d'être en Allemagne et rejoindre Kehl.

We arranged to meet at 6am in the College de Bercé car park (which is next to Lycée Racan). We all had to get up early to be ready to leave at half past six. We were excited about the two days to come, but tired too. It was then time to set off for an 8-hour coach trip, during which we watched Mamma Mia. Many of the film's fans had gathered together at the back of the bus and we were entertained by their singing along to every Abba song. When we arrived in Strasbourg, most of us admired the town but we were looking forward to arriving in Germany and the town of Kehl.

Representatives from Racan

Strasbourg / Kehl

Un grand merci pour l'accueil que nous a réservé la mairie de Kehl, ville allemande frontalière de Strasbourg.

Un grand merci, également, au Parlement Européen. Plus de 500 jeunes issus de 21 pays membres de l'Union ont participé ce 22 janvier 2010 au programme EUROSCOLA.
Un grand merci, enfin, aux élèves du Lycée Racan qui ont dignement représenté la France.

Un compte rendu complet sera publié sur Euromeeting :

- La visite transfrontalière vers Kehl.
- Le Parlement Européen : une institution européenne.
- Le programme Euroscola (présentation, organisation, activités).
- Un regard sur la jeunesse européenne (pratique de la langue, préoccupations, échanges).

Feeding the World

"We can see a box which is filled with a lot of tomatoes. On the box, we notice a sticker with the expiry date on it : 2037. According to the cartoonist, when these tomatoes will be eaten, they will become "wild" and so dangerous for our health. He makes us understand that we eat genetically modified products while we don't know the consequences." (Alice, Valentine).
"To my mind, the aim of the cartoon is to show us that we have to be careful with G.M.O.s because even if they have longer life, they may have a dangerous impact on the environnment." (Manon, Chloé).

"We can make out some strange animals which are genetically modified. Indeed, there are flying pigs, chickens with six wings, cows with a giraffe neck, round shaped sheeps with antlers, fishes which are walking and also an enormous turkey cock. Scientists have modified all the animals as chimeras" (Manon, Laura, Mathieu).
"The author wants to explain us that it's dangerous to put the nature in jeopardy because today we feed animals with G.M.O.s but we don't know the consequences for our health since we eat them." (Chloé, Manon).

"In this advert, we can see a boy with blood on his cheek. This genetically modified apple has bitten the boy. The "frankenfood" apple poisoned him back." (Olivier, Kelly)
"In this cartoon, there is a boy who laughs and winks. He handles an apple which also laughs. It's a genetically modified apple created by Monsanto, the biggest producer of G.M.O.s." (Samuel, Marine)

"On the drawing, there are two men. The first one looks sad and the second one is angry. There are three vegetables which seem proud of themselves and smarter than the scientists who have taken the genetic engineering too far." (Lesly, Emily)

"We can guess that there is a butcher according to his apron. It's written "Meat indutry" on it. He says that it's an outbreak of "smart cow disease", a play upon word with "mad cow disease." The cows demonstrate for organic food behind a gate. They want that people become vegetarian so they won't eat them." (Albane, Vicky).
"We can see several cows which are on strike. They are asking us to eat less beef and not feed them with genetically modified cereals." (Christopher, Quentin).
"If people eat organic beef, the meat industry will file for bankruptcy." (Mathilde, Emeline).

"The document is a cartoon made of four pictures. In the top left corner, we can see a herd of cows. In the top right corner, we can notice a lot of fishes. In the bottom left corner, there is a chicken flock. In the bottom right corner, we can make out vegetarians." (Julie, Lien)
"They became vegetarians because they were afraid of being ill or as toxic as salmons" (Brenda, Johnny)

The Yes Men

The Yes Men are activists who pose as top executives of global companies in order to organise fake press conferences or television interviews.

Capitalism : a Love Story

EUROSCOLA 2010

25 "European" students from Lycée Racan will be involved in the EUROSCOLA project next January in Strasbourg. More information (in french) below (click to enlarge pictures) :

Marbles reunited ?

"It's important to see the Elgin Marbles among other world-wide achievements displayed at the British Museum." (Valentine)

"The Elgin Marbles won't return to Athens because there are many tourists visiting the British Museum so they can learn greek history there." (Brenda)

"To my mind, the Elgin Marbles must stay in London because the British Museum is free and it's more convenient and cheaper for French people to go there." (Megan)

"I'm torn. The British Museum is still an attractive museum but the new Acropolis Museum could be the perfect place for the Marbles." (Manon)

"The fragments of the Elgin Marbles should return to Greece." (Alice)

"Greeks would like to reunite the Elgin Marbles in their new Acropolis Museum. Nowadays, Athens is a modern city with a new subway system or pedestrian zones. It's an attractive city for tourists." (Samuel)

"The Elgin Marbles are a part of the world cultural heritage and the greek history." (Julie)

"In my opinion, the Elgin Marbles must return to Greece because I think it will be more interesting to visit the new Acropolis Museum." (Derya)

www.theacropolismuseum.gr

Lisbon Treaty

Green light for European reforms

The history of the European Union